It was an evening of profound frustration for Chelsea and their star midfielder Cole Palmer, who was substituted during a damaging 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
The 23-year-old England international, who had his new girlfriend, beauty specialist Olivia Holder, cheering him on from an executive box, cut a furious figure when manager Enzo Maresca replaced him with Brazilian youngster Estevao. The change came shortly after Ollie Watkins had pulled Villa level on Saturday evening.
Palmer's Substitution and Villa's Late Winner
Palmer's disappointment was compounded as he watched from the bench, helpless to intervene, when Ollie Watkins struck his second and the winning goal in the 84th minute. The striker's late effort sealed a significant victory for the visitors and condemned Chelsea to a deflating loss in west London.
For Palmer, the result was a bitter personal and professional setback, especially with Holder in attendance. The 23-year-old beauty clinic owner shared images from the match on her Instagram, including a photo of herself in a fur coat and a snap of Palmer controlling the ball during the first half.
Palmer's New Relationship with Olivia Holder
The pair's romance appears to be blossoming quickly. Just a week prior to the match, they were spotted together at London's Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, with Palmer attempting to remain incognito in a balaclava and hoodie.
Holder first posted pictures from inside Stamford Bridge on December 17. Palmer had previously split from his ex-girlfriend, nail technician Connie Grace, in July of this year.
When questioned about Palmer's visibly angry reaction to being substituted, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca played down concerns. 'No, no. He was working very good,' Maresca said. 'He was on the ball and off the ball, pressing, he was very good. We have another game now in 48 hours, so he was good and we are happy that he's back.'
Palmer will now be hoping that Olivia Holder can prove to be a lucky charm when Chelsea host Bournemouth in their next Premier League fixture on December 30, as the Blues look to bounce back from this disappointing result.
